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Finally Understand The Real Reason For Setting Personal Goals

If you believe in the power of setting personal goals, you are going to love what I am about to tell you.

This was one of those big "ah-ha" moments for me when I first read and discovered the real purpose behind setting goals. If success is simply one big puzzle that you have to find all of the pieces for, this discovery for me was a pretty big piece.

There is a very important reason why setting goals works and is important. But before I tell you what that is, I must first explain to you a little bit about reality...

Personal Goal Setting Reality Check

Let's say, for the sake of example, that you have a goal to become a millionaire. Your goal is, "I become a millionaire by (insert date). The question is...

Is this a good goal?

In a previous time, I would have said that the answer to this question is yes. After all, it's in the present tense and their is a time frame for it's accomplishment. If you read any book on goal setting, this is how they suggest you do it.

However, now I have a different answer to the question. And that answer is "it depends." The reason why it depends is based on the understanding of reality...

Our life consists of three types of situations. You already know them. They are called the past, present, and future.

The past is something that is over and done with. As we all regretfully know, we can't change the past! But we can certainly learn from it. When it comes to goal setting, the past really doesn't come into play all that much. After all, we are setting goals for the future and the past has little to do with that.

The future on the other hand is a little different. This is where it starts to get interesting!

We set goals for the future. But we can't do anything about the future. After all, there hasn't been a way yet to go into the future.

The only thing we can truly control is the present. And it is very valuable for you to understand this.

Sure, what we do today greatly effects the future. But the only thing we can physically, mentally, and spiritually control is this very second in time. The here and now.

You must have a firm understanding of this concept in order to create successful goals that work. Understand that goals are meant to make our future better, but we can't do anything in the future to reach those goals. We can only effect right now.

Got it? OK. Let's get to the real reason why we even bother with goal setting...

The Reason For Goal Setting

Once you understand that we can only control right now, let's understand why I answered "it depends" to the question above about whether or not "I become a millionaire by (insert date)." is a good goal.

The reason is this...

If this goal motivates you to take action, this very second, then it is a good goal. If it doesn't, if you read it and simply lye back down on the couch, it isn't a very good goal.

Even though it follows all of the rules of goal setting 101, it isn't a good goal because it doesn't give you the drive and passion to go out and do something to achieve it.

The purpose of setting personal goals is to have a goal that makes you want to do something right now that will effect the future.

If you can create a goal that consistently gives you the motivation to take action now, you have found a great goal. The moment that it no longer gives you that motication is the moment you need to start thinking of a new goal.

The best time to start working on something big is right now. Having a goal is important. But it only does you any good if it motivates you to act.

People that achieve great things in life always have an idea of where they want to go. And they use this idea of what they want to help them better decide what actions to take today. This is what you need to do.

Set the goal. A goal that gives you a burning desire for action. Read that goal whenever you need some fuel for that desire. And then never stop working for that goal.

This is the single greatest difference between those that achieve and those that don't. It's the strangest secret in the world!

Related Goal Articles

The Purpose Of Setting Personal Goals
How To Change Your Identity To Reach Your Biggest Goal
The Ultimate Goal Setting Activity
How To Make A List That Will Change Your Life
The Power Of Setting Miniature Goals

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